Parks of the St. Lawrence Camping Reservations Launch with Nearly 7,000 Bookings
Morrisburg, ON – These sunnier days have people preparing for summer holidays, as thousands are now holding on to a little promise of summer – their summer camping reservation at Parks of the St. Lawrence campgrounds in Eastern Ontario.
The Parks of the St. Lawrence online reservations website opened for reservations at 9 a.m. on March 7 for the 2024 season. Campers were able to book for any time of the season at 10 Parks of the St. Lawrence campgrounds, which line the shores of the St. Lawrence River from the 1000 Islands Bridge U.S. border crossing to the Quebec/Ontario border. By the end of the first day of sales, there were nearly 7,000 reservations in the system.
At 9 a.m., camping fans were at the ready, digitally queued and poised to jump on their favourite sites for their vacation dates. In the first five minutes, there were 1,820 confirmed reservations. In the first hour, 75 per cent of the day’s nearly 7,000 reservations were already booked.
An emphasis on online reservations has enabled more campers to book simultaneously, with better odds at securing that favourite site than sitting in a phone queue. While the online reservation system can process those 1,800 transactions in five minutes, a single phone transaction takes three minutes to process. Campers seem to appreciate the competitive edge; on launch day only 50 transactions were completed by phone.
Since 2019, first-day sales have nearly tripled. The increase in reservations is good news for local communities. Parks of the St. Lawrence finished the 2023 season with a total of 29,415 bookings, welcoming nearly 329,000 guests to the parks, at least 43 per cent of whom were from outside Ontario. During this year’s launch, 35 per cent of those who made a reservation were new guests, meaning they did not make a reservation in 2023.
“The growth we are seeing in reservations is not just good news for St. Lawrence Parks Commission,” said SLPC Chair, Hon. Bob Runciman, “it’s good news for the local communities where we operate and beyond. Hundreds of thousands of visitors will come to Eastern Ontario this summer to stay in our campgrounds and enjoy camping on the beautiful St. Lawrence River. While they’re here, they’ll pick up groceries, visit restaurants and seek out activities to complement their stay. That speaks directly to our mandate – to drive economic prosperity throughout the region. With the strong opening numbers already this year, we anticipate another year of meeting our goals and delivering positive economic impact for Eastern Ontario.”
Neil Lumsden, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport notes “Parks of the St. Lawrence is one of eastern Ontario’s must-see tourist destinations, with many wonderful opportunities to enjoy all that the region has to offer. The strong start of the 2024 camping season is proof that more and more people are discovering the joy of the great outdoors and in turn, boosting the local tourism economy. I encourage everyone to book their next camping adventure and experience the natural beauty of the region.”
Building on the success of the 2023 pilot project of extending camping seasons into spring and/or fall, three additional Parks of the St. Lawrence campgrounds are extending their seasons in 2024. New this year, Ivy Lea Campground and the roofed accommodations at McLaren Campground can be booked from May 10 to October 26, while Mille Roches will have an extended season running from May 17 to September 14. Opening and closing dates for campgrounds vary. More information and full operating dates are available at www.stlawrenceparks.com.
About Parks of the St. Lawrence
Parks of the St. Lawrence is one of the largest tourism destinations in Eastern Ontario. Guests are invited for a camping getaway, a road trip through Eastern Ontario to explore the picturesque landscapes or relax on a beach or surrounded by nature. Parks of the St. Lawrence operates two scenic waterfront parkways, six sandy beaches and day-use picnic areas, a bird sanctuary, extensive multi-use trail networks, and ten beautiful waterfront campgrounds. These areas, which span 7000 acres from the 1000 Islands to the Quebec border, are a haven for outdoor enthusiasts of all ages, families, boaters, and scuba divers. Parks of the St. Lawrence welcomes guests to enjoy our spacious campsites and waterfront cabins, winding bike paths, pristine nature trails, boat launches, picnic areas, scuba diving and remarkable fishing. We are the perfect destination for campers, runners, cyclists, photographers, anglers, scuba divers and explorers alike.
About St. Lawrence Parks Commission
The St. Lawrence Parks Commission, an agency of the Government of Ontario, operates facilities stretching from Kingston to the Quebec border, including Upper Canada Village, Fort Henry National Historic Site of Canada (and a UNESCO World Heritage Site); Kingston Pen Tours, Crysler Park Marina, Upper Canada Golf Course, Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary and 10 campgrounds and 6 beach day-use picnic areas including the Long Sault and Thousand Islands Parkways.
To learn more, visit www.parks.on.ca.
Media Contact
Amanda Liebeck
Communications and Media Relations
St. Lawrence Parks Commission
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